How to apply for Spanish citizenship on the grounds of ancestry?

If your family is of Spanish descent it is highly likely you will be entitled to apply for citizenship. There are many benefits to obtaining a passport which will allow you to move freely within the European Union and reside in any member country. The right to citizenship is based on jus sanguinis or blood right, meaning you can apply for it on the grounds of descent if your parents or grandparents were Spanish.

Applying for citizenship is a somewhat lengthy bureaucratic process, so it is a good idea to plan ahead, reviewing each step and listing the documents you will need to submit a successful application. To start the process you will need to book an appointment at your Spanish Consulate or Embassy and take along your paperwork which will include your birth certificate, the birth certificate of your Spanish relative or relatives and documentation linking you to that relative. You will also have to fill out the corresponding form to formalise your application. Although it can take up to a year, it is generally quite a simple and inexpensive process.